1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card-type radio communication device and more particularly, to an IC card-type radio communication device in which both radio data communication and a conversation are executed using a portable telephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an example 1 of a traditional radio communication device, the portable telephone is connected to a modem (modulator and demodulator) or an IC card which executes a digital signal processing through a cable for a signal wire, when the radio communication is executed by using the portable telephone. For instance, a digital data transmitted from a personal computer is modulated by the modem installed on the IC card to obtain an analog signal.
The analog signal is outputted to a head set terminal of the portable telephone by the cable, and the analog signal is modulated into a radio signal by the portable telephone. The radio communication is executed by the modulated radio signal.
However, the conventional radio communication device includes the portable telephone, the IC card installed on the modem and the cable. For this reason, an operational performance of the device is deteriorated and the cost is rather high.
Another conventional radio communication device exists which unifies the portable telephone and a modem circuit through the cable so that the operational performance will be improved.
However, such accessories as the cable and RS232C connector are necessary for connecting the personal computer to the modem circuit. Also, it is difficult to make the accessories portable, since the RS 232C connector itself is relatively large.
Further, a third conventional radio communication device exists in which an interface between the personal computer and the portable telephone is formed in accordance with a standard of Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA)/Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). However, a cable for connecting an earphone or a microphone to the portable telephone is needed, when the portable telephone is used for a conversation.
Also, an IC card mentioned in 140895 number of an official report of patent disclosure in 1992 was used for the radio communication, and it was miniaturized to the size of a business card. However, a dedicated interface for connecting the IC card to a host computer is needed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an IC card-type radio communication device which maintains a compatibility of interface for traditional data communication, and improves a portability without using accessories.
The IC card-type communication device of the present invention includes a body of equipment, a storage unit, a sound input unit, a sound output unit and a modulation-demodulation unit. The IC card-type communication device of the present invention has a physical interface and an electrical interface of JEIDA/PCMCIA standard on a part of the portable telephone, and reduces such accessories as a cable and executes a radio conversation and a radio data communication.
The body of equipment has an interface unit which is in accordance with a predetermined standard and forms a physical shape which is in accordance with the standard, and is inserted into a entry installed on an external terminal unit. The body of equipment is, for instance, a sheet-type IC card.
The storage unit is installed on the body of equipment, and stores an attribute information of the body of equipment and an information necessary for data communication to the data of the terminal unit. The storage unit is a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) and so on.
The sound input unit inputs a sound signal when a conversation is executed. The sound input unit is a microphone and so on. The sound output unit outputs the sound. The sound output unit is a speaker and so on.
The modulation-demodulation unit modulates and demodulates the data of the terminal unit on the basis of the information stored in the storage unit, when the body of equipment is inserted into the entry installed on the terminal unit, and modulates and demodulates the sound signal when the conversation is executed. The modulation-demodulation unit includes of LSI(Large Scale Integrated circuit) and so on.
Hereupon, it is preferable that the predetermined standard is at least one of a standard of Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA) and a standard of Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA).
Further, a joining body of equipment which forms a plane that is almost identical to the body of equipment so as to be registered with the body of equipment, and is joined to the body of equipment in one side can be also provided. The sound input unit can be installed on one of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment, and the sound output unit can be installed on the other of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment.
The joining body of equipment can be opened in a predetermined angle to the body of equipment when the conversation is executed, and the body of equipment can be inserted into the entry installed on the terminal unit, when the data communication by the terminal unit is executed.
Further, a joining body of equipment which has a plane that is almost identical to the body of equipment and an arbitrary thickness can be provided. The joining body of equipment can be isolated from the body of equipment electrically.
Besides, one of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment can be provided with a slot unit which is slid physically and is locked in a predetermined position by the other of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment.
Further, a magnet can be installed on each surface of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment so as to unify the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment physically.
Further, an input unit for inputting a dial information when the conversation is executed, and an invalidating unit for invalidating the dial information transmitted from the input means when the input is inserted into the entry of the terminal unit can be provided. The input unit is, for instance, a sheet switch.
The body of equipment can be provided with a secondary cell unit for supplying the sound input unit, the sound output unit, the storage unit and the modulation-demodulation unit with electric power. The secondary cell unit is charged by the electric power supplied from a power supply of the terminal unit, when the interface is inserted into a connector which is installed on the entry and is in accordance with the standard.
An indicator which displays a charging state of the secondary cell unit which is charged by the electric power supplied from the power supply of the terminal unit can be provided.
Another secondary cell unit which forms a shape that is almost identical to the secondary cell unit also can be provided. The another secondary cell unit is connected to the body of equipment through the interface unit, when the conversation is executed. The another secondary cell unit is removed from the body of equipment and the body of equipment is connected to the entry installed on the terminal unit, when the data communication is executed.
A voltage conversion circuit for receiving an electric power supplied from a power supply installed on an external terminal unit to convert a predetermined voltage into another voltage, and a cell unit for executing a charge with another voltage converted by the voltage conversion circuit also can be provided.
An information storage unit for storing specific information and a control unit for exchanging the information stored in the information storage unit between the information storage unit and the terminal unit, when the body of equipment is inserted into the entry installed on the terminal unit also can be provided.
An input unit for inputting a personal identification password as a personal information is provided, and the control unit writes the personal identification password inputted from the input unit into the information storage unit to check the password between the information storage unit and the terminal unit. The input unit is, for instance, a switch.
According to the present invention, the body of equipment has an interface unit which is in accordance with a predetermined standard and forms a physical shape which is in accordance with the standard, and is inserted into an entry installed on an external terminal unit. Namely, the body of equipment is inserted into the entry of the terminal unit without using such accessories as a cable, and the interface unit can be connected to the terminal unit without difficulty.
Besides, the IC card-type radio communication device has a radio data communication function according to the storage unit and the modulation-demodulation unit, and has a radio conversation function according to the sound input unit, the sound output unit and the modulation-demodulation unit. Accordingly, it is not necessary to use such accessories as a cable for a microphone and a speaker, and the portability can be improved.
Besides, the compatibility with the traditional data communication interface can be maintained, if the standard is one of a standard of Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA) and a standard of Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA).
Further, the conversation can be executed by using the sound input unit and the sound output unit in a condition that the joining body of equipment is opened to the body of equipment in a predetermined angle. The data communication according to the terminal unit can be executed by inserting the body of equipment into the entry installed on the terminal unit.
The portability can be improved, since the joining body of equipment which has a plane that is almost identical to the body of equipment and has an arbitrary thickness is isolated from the body of equipment electrically.
The unification of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment can be attempted, since the slot unit installed on one of the joining body of equipment and the body of equipment is slid and is locked in the predetermined position by the other of joining body of equipment and the body of equipment.
The joining body of equipment can be unified with the body of equipment by the mutual attraction of the magnet on the surface of the joining body of equipment and the magnet on the surface of the body of equipment.
For instance, a wrong operation can be avoided, since the invalidating circuit invalidates a dial information transmitted by an accidental push of a sheet switch, when the sheet switch is inserted into the entry of the terminal unit.
The consumption of the secondary cell unit can be restrained, since the secondary cell unit is charged by the electric power supplied from a power source of the terminal unit, when the interface unit is inserted into a connector of the terminal unit. The usage of the secondary cell unit can be understood, since a charging state of the secondary cell unit is displayed on the indicator.
Another secondary cell unit is connected to the body of equipment through the interface to receive an electric power supply of the another secondary cell unit, when the conversation is executed. The consumption of the secondary cell unit can be reduced, since the another secondary cell unit is removed from the body of equipment and the body of equipment is connected to the entry installed on the terminal unit to charge the secondary cell unit, when the data communication is executed.
The utility value of the device will be raised, since the control unit exchanges the information stored in the information storage unit between the information storage unit and the terminal unit, when the body of equipment is inserted into the entry installed on the terminal unit.
The exchange of the personal information between the information storage unit and the terminal unit can be restricted, since the control unit writes the personal identification password inputted from the input unit into the information storage unit to check the password between the information storage unit and the terminal unit.